Two hours later, the national highway wouldn't be so crowded.

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Magic-dragon

#442963 Thu, 15 Nov 07 05:01 PM

I'd be happy if someone would answer my questions. Thanks in advance.

Are the following 2 sentences correct? If so, what's the difference?

A: Two hours later, the national highway wouldn't be so crowded.

B: Two hours later, the national highway won't be so crowded.

Magic-dragon

Joined on Sun, Apr 22 2007

Japan

Junior Member (55)

Magic-dragon

Philip

#442979 Thu, 15 Nov 07 05:39 PM

Magic-dragon wrote:

I'd be happy if someone would answer my questions. Thanks in advance.

Are the following 2 sentences correct? If so, what's the difference?

A: Two hours later, the national highway wouldn't be so crowded.

B: Two hours later, the national highway won't be so crowded.

A: refers to a situation in the past. [We were going to leave at 5. But two hours later the highway wouldn't be so crowded, so we waited.]

B: refers to a situation in the present. [We want to leave now. But two hours later the highway won't be so crowded, so we will wait.] This sentence would be better with "in two hours"

Philip

Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005

USA Pacific Northwest (Seattle)

Veteran Member (6,281)

At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen

Magic-dragon

#443189 Fri, 16 Nov 07 01:08 PM

－－I see well. I want to know one more thing.

Is there any possibility that we can see A as meaning "If you were to go down the national highway it wouldn't be so crowded?

Magic-dragon

Grammar Geek

#443323 Fri, 16 Nov 07 06:12 PM

Magic-dragon - can you explain your question differently?

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (15,997)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

CalifJim

#443377 Fri, 16 Nov 07 09:23 PM

Is there any possibility that we can see A as meaning "If you were to go down the national highway [ two hours later, ] it wouldn't be so crowded?

I'd say so, yes, in the right context. The original sentence is a bit ambiguous. It can be interpreted in different ways depending on context. That's pretty typical of the word would.

CJ

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (17,566)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche